A WEEK or so ago I sent a link – by way of a thank you for all the help, support and hospitality they had given me since I arrived in Spain a year ago – to Dutch couple Marco and Ricardo who run Sensations bar in Benidorm.
It was a YouTube link to I Love this Bar, by American country singer, Toby Keith.
Now I am not a great fan of the Country and Western genre, which I generally find unbearably cheesy, or far too weighted down with God, guns and patriotic fervour, but I immediately warmed to Keith because he had just come out with a statement bound to send the Religious Right into a carpet-chewing frenzy.
Keith was quoted in this report saying he fully supported the recent repeal of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy banning openly-gay troops from enlisting and serving in the armed forces.
That whole gay issue thing, that’s never bothered me.
And he came out in support of gay marriage too:
First of all, we’re going to stop somebody from getting a marriage license because they’re gay? You won’t stop them from living together, so what have you accomplished? … Wasting a lot of money here and a lot of time that could be spent working on this deficit that we’re under … I never saw the reasoning behind getting in people’s personal lives.
Keith is also not averse to lampooning the Religious Right, as his War on Christmas song demonstrates.
Mind you, looking at the comments posted beneath the report, it seems as if readers could not make up their minds whether Keith was being serious, or taking the piss.
Said one:
This was NOT satire. Toby Keith is one of those guys who thinks American = religious super-conservative republican. This song contained so much arrogance it was sickening. In reality Toby Keith isn’t a “fundamentalist.” Hell, during my years as a christian I would have said he’s another lukewarm false believer whom Jesus will spew out of his mouth straight into the pits of hell. After all, only a child of Satan would write an ungodly song called I love this bar!
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
October 5th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
I get a chuckle when you call religious people names. ‘Rug butter’ for Muslim is a favorite. I was born in the American south and ‘redneck’ has a sting to it but I won’t ask for special protection for my feelings. just make sure that when it is homosexuals acting foolish that you don’t hesitate to dip your pen in the same poison ink. Homosexual couples seeking roman catholic weddings? ‘scum saphists seek slime sanction’ or ‘men in dresses at weddings – and you should see the faggots, too’ depending. There are plenty of examples of gay foolishness around religion. Time to elbow the rib closest to you.
October 5th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
@anonymous
Agreed. Many people can be very foolish. However I would not feel the need to use the ‘poison ink’ for any people who are just quietly getting on with their nonsense. Why would I?
I get vexed when people try to impose their views on others, when they expect ‘respect’ for their ideas which on a neutral assessment could be judged delusional and/or they demand special arrangements and privileges because of their beliefs.
October 5th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Agreed Lucy. If a gay Christian tries to impose all the other religious silliness on me, I’ll be as harsh as ever; but if he, or any other Christian, treats it as just a private belief then it’s no concern of mine.
Look at it this way, Anonymous. If someone is actually trying to fix the bigotry within their church, then they’re doing a good thing. I’d still wonder why the hell they have to believe in gods and such but if they do, then kudos to them for trying to clean up the mess.
October 5th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
¡Hostia! Shame on you Barry for sending a thing like that to friends. My cats had their paws over their ears while that was playing.
October 5th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
can’t say I’m a bit fan of this music however I like this guys attitude and the way he’s turning the conventions of country music on their head.
On the subject of ringht wing loony redneck christians, has anyone been to see red state yet??
October 5th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
What sort of music do you send to people that you DON’T like, Barry?
BTW, did anyone else see this? (Sort of related!)
http://youtu.be/NP0kfAwQ2qA
October 6th, 2011 at 4:34 am
The last comment quoted in the article says that for voicing his support of gay rights, Toby Keith is someone “whom Jesus will spew out of his mouth” … ???
So many punchlines, so little time.
October 6th, 2011 at 5:29 am
Barriejohn, I watched about half of it and gave up in horror.
Here ya go. Music to send to people you don’t like. (Warning: I’m not actually sure that I dislike anyone that much. Click at your own risk.)
October 6th, 2011 at 6:04 am
I love this bar it’s not very far. No satire here just a yob acknowledging and extolling a thoughtless brutal culture.
October 6th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Completely unrelated, I’m afraid – I was just reading that right-wing xtian nutjob Sarah Palin has decided not to run for the White House next year. Excellent news! Apparently god told her not to bother.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15193726
October 6th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Daz: I have seen that video before, and remain perplexed by it. (I knew what I was going to see before I clicked onto the link!). You do realize, I suppose, that that is the cast of Bread, so I assume that it is a spoof of some sort.
October 6th, 2011 at 10:40 am
@AgentCormac. After prayer she decided god wanted her to put her family first? Nothing to do with the fact that her television interviews exposed her as an ignorant buffoon who was leaking support from even the demented Tea Party. Would god have told her to put her family first if she had been riding high in the polls. I think the main remaining christian clown is Rick Perry. However, his support has halved in the last month so even he is too christian/moronic for the Republicans. And that sets a low, low standard.
October 6th, 2011 at 10:49 am
Here’s a good one – over one million views!
http://youtu.be/zwyd6u4mJ94
October 6th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Broga
Absolutely right! Nor did it have anything to do with the amount of money she can make from being a pundit instead.
October 6th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
I think sarah palin not running for president (apart from being a total releif) has more to do with the fact that ms clean cut family values has been exposed as a two timing nymphomaniac coke snorting hypocrite.
@barriejohn
that video reminds me of when my younger self went to sunday school and jesus was marketed to me as being cooler than any superhero, I’m so glad I realised I had better things to do with my sunday morning like watch proper superheroes on the tellybox or actually go outside on my bike and play in the park.
October 7th, 2011 at 2:30 am
Guns are wonderful.
In my part of the world they are an essential tool for making sure that us queer rednecks have our NO respected as regards our bodies, property, and rights. Including the right to be queer atheist rednecks.